The U.S. Army announced earlier this week that the 3rd Infantry Division received its first set of the newest version of the Paladin self-propelled howitzer system.
According to a recent service news release, Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, received new M109A7 self-propelled howitzer systems and M992A3 carrier ammunition vehicles on July 29, 2021, on Fort Stewart, Georgia, as part of the Division’s modernization efforts.
“2ABCT is one of the first brigades to receive this equipment which will greatly enhance their capabilities and is part of the overall modernization effort across the Army,” said in a statement.
The Paladin is more lethal now than ever. Many enhancements have been made to better enable the Troopers who operate them on the battlefield.
The M109A7 uses the existing main armament and cab structure of M109A6 but replaces the vehicle’s chassis components – including the engine, transmission, final drives, suspension and track – with modern components common to the M2/M3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The commonality with Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT) systems offsets sustainability costs while improving chassis structure and M109A7 survivability.
The M109A7 is the latest howitzer in the BAE Systems M109 family of vehicles, the primary indirect fire support system for the ABCTs.
As noted by the company, the M109A7 will solve long-term readiness and modernization needs of the M109 family of vehicles through a critical redesign and production plan that leverages the most advanced technology available today. This state-of-the-art “digital backbone” and power generation capability provides a more robust, survivable and responsive indirect fire support capability for ABCT Soldiers.